Compare and Contrast
by Izzy Yuki Hime
Summary: AU. Puck goes on a date with Quinn, but finds that she's not what he wants after all. Puckleberry themed if not actually Puckleberry. Prequel to 'Picking up the pieces'.


**A/N: **The idea was a commission from **wtb4ever** as a review reward for another story. I've taken the events in 'Some Kind Of Wonderful' (such as I've found them summarised, as I haven't actually seen the film myself) and put Glee characters in them.

Obviously this AU, so some things are different, some people are different, and there will be OOC. No baby though and no Finn. It should be self-explanatory, but please let me know if you don't understand anything.

**Reviews are love.**

******Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any of its characters.**

******_Also, there's now a sequel, published under the name 'Picking up the Pieces'. Take a look if you're interested._**

* * *

**Compare and Contrast**

Rachel Berry and Noah Puckerman had been friends since preschool, when Puck had dumped a load of sand on top of Rachel. He'd been laughing merrily until she started to cry, at which point he'd made a peace offering of building her a fairy sandcastle. From then on, they'd been inseparable all the way through elementary and middle school, even though Puck was a year older. Things had changed a little in high school, but even though Noah Puckerman was now a name to be feared (jock, troublemaker, bully), Rachel Berry remained the one person (other than his mother) that he let get close to him. She was like his honorary little sister, and as much a part of his family as his _real_ sister Rebecca. He looked out for her and she kept him out of trouble. But they were together. Always together.

Sitting on a bench as the night crept in, Rachel considered the events that had led her to being there. They'd been sat on the bleachers one Tuesday in their usual spot, looking out over the playing fields at McKinley High, and the Cheerios had come out to practice. Their stern taskmistress, Sue Sylvester, was shouting at them angrily through a megaphone, and criticising everything they did. In fact, the only person she didn't pick on was Quinn Fabray, the blonde, beautiful head cheerleader.

'God I'd like to date her', Puck had muttered. Rachel looked at him, seeing his eyes fixed on the slim blonde. Her heart ached.

'I thought you weren't into dating Noah', she said, her eyes purposefully fixed on the field as he glanced at her. 'I thought you said you just liked the...physical aspect of things rather than actually having to _talk_.' She wrinkled her nose in distaste at his activities. The only reason why it didn't bother her was because she knew he didn't care for any of the girls he slept with. That way, she didn't have to face up to the fact he didn't love _her_ the way she loved him (which was her best kept secret since she was 9).

'But Fabray's different. She's...special', he breathed. 'She's better than that.'

'She's better than _us_ Noah. Her family have more money than they know what to do with. She wouldn't deign to talk to nobodies like us – a jock with no father and a mother who works every day just to make ends meet, and a Glee club girl with two dads. People like her don't mix with us.' She spoke more sharply than she'd meant to, and he looked at her again, shaking his head.

'I'm more than that Rachel. You know that. I just need to get her to see it.' He stood up, and stretched. 'And now she's ditched Jesse St. James, I don't see why I shouldn't be the very person to show her.' He walked down the bleachers and on to the pitch, leaving Rachel sitting alone in shock.

* * *

That afternoon, he'd slipped a note into her locker. It said _She said yes!_ The writing was so familiar she could have forged it as well as Noah wrote. With shaking hands, she folded it and placed it back in her locker, shutting it and heading off to class, so distracted that she walked into about four people.

She was the same in Maths, and as soon as the bell rang she shot out of the classroom, making it to her truck in record time. She jumped in, unable to face Puck, and drove home, running straight up to her room and shutting herself in, locking out the world. She'd been settling down to her homework when her phone buzzed.

Noah: **Yo Berry, what's with the disappearing act?**

Berry: _Just a lot of work to do. Sorry._

Noah: **I need to you to come shopping with me tomorrow. I want to get her something nice.**

Berry: _I guess I could help. Pick me up?_

Noah: **Sure thing sweetheart. See you.**

Cursing her inability to say no to him, she'd put her phone down and thrown herself into work, trying to forget the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

* * *

It hadn't been any easier when they'd spent hours trawling around the shops, looking for the _right_ pair of earrings for Quinn. Puck, in an unusual twist, had been incredibly picky, rejecting everything they looked at until they'd stumbled across some delicate silver earrings in a little store Rachel had found once when looking for the necklace for an audition. They were a pair of large silver studs, each with three tiny silver filigree chains hanging off them. They were undeniably beautiful, but undeniably expensive. But Puck, in his usual stubborn way, had insisted on buying them, using a large chunk of the money he'd earned cleaning pools that spring.

Rachel sighed, shifting slightly on the bench. That had been two days ago, and now she was sat on a bench across the street from the restaurant where her best friend/love of her life was chatting up a pretty, perky cheerleader, waiting for them to finish their meal because for some unknown reason she'd agreed to chauffeur them to their date. She was going to claim mental instability caused by overwork if anyone asked her why. She couldn't think of any other good reason why she'd willingly put herself through watching Puck chat up Little Miss Rich Girl, offering her the earrings as she'd settled herself in the backseat of his truck (clean, for the first time ever in Rachel's memory). She had to admit, Quinn had seemed genuinely grateful, but that still didn't mean she _liked _the girl. She sighed again, stretching lightly and walking over to where the truck was parked, leaning against it and shutting her eyes, trying not to think about what Noah might be saying to Quinn.

* * *

Inside, Noah Puckerman was wondering if he'd made mistake after all. Quinn was beautiful, no doubt, but the girl was kinda a bitch if he was honest. She'd been rude to the waitress, complained about her drink, spent _forever_ picking her meal (and if he was saying that about a woman, it meant it was a _seriously_ long time) and then spent a lot of time checking her phone. It was probably the most unsuccessful date he'd ever been on (not that he went on many, but still), and he couldn't help but wonder if perhaps this was a bad idea. Leaning back against the leather of his seat, he thought about what he'd be doing on a normal Friday. _Rachel would be at mine, Ma would have cooked lasagne or some shit like that and we'd be sat on the couch, so full we're barely able to move, having a popcorn fight and watching some ancient movie_, he thought with a smile. _Or we'd be at her house and her dads would have cooked something fancy, but we'd all be sat round the table having a laugh and probably a beer or some wine, cause her dads are cool like that_. He sighed. _It'd be way more fun than _this _anyway._

Unfortunately, the date didn't improve over time. Quinn was rude to the waitress all the time, barely touched her food, ordered the most expensive water on the menu (claiming it had essential minerals in it that she needed), _constantly_ texted her friends and spoke about 50 words maybe, tops. Puck looked at her as she ate, seeing in her place the petite brunette who was his best friend. _If Rach was here we'd be laughing so hard she'd practically be crying, and she'd have eaten about twice as much food in half the time_, he thought, grinning. _She'd be best friends with half the restaurant and she'd have asked for a Coke straight off. No wasting time ordering, no fancy water. Just Rachel. And I wouldn't have had to buy her fancy earrings to prove I'm good enough. Although I guess I wouldn't mind getting her some anyway, just to see her face._ He remembered her face every Christmas and birthday, lit up with delight at whatever gift he gave her. Somehow, he always managed to pick the right thing for her, but he had a feeling it wouldn't matter if he'd got it completely wrong, because Rachel was just happen to be given something. _She's kind, and sweet. Not proud, not cruel like Quinn. It's like having dinner with a fucking Ice Queen she's so cold. And she's too perfect. _It was true, Quinn Fabray was a beauty, no doubt. The girl was gorgeous; beautiful big eyes, great skin, big pouty lips, rockin' body and legs that were about as thick as Puck's arms (maybe thinner). But she was too perfect. Too unobtainable. He couldn't imagine her being passionate about anything, or waking up with her hair in a mess and sleep dust in her eyes. She seemed like she'd just walk out of a wardrobe each morning, fully clothed and made up for the day ahead.

_Rachel would never do that. God knows I've seen her enough times in the morning and she's a __**mess**_, he thought with a smirk. _Hair up in that bun or those cute plaits, big old t-shirt on and grumpy as fuck unless you wake her up just right. But cute as hell. The kind of girl you could actually get with cause she's _real_, not some blonde Barbie who's great to look at, but no fun to play with. And it's not like Rachel's ugly. I mean, her nose is a little big and she talks all the fricking time, but she's kinda hot I guess. Specially in those cute little skirts she loves_. He stopped himself, puzzled. _Why did I never think about her like this before?_ He wondered. _Why didn't I see all the great things about her? Why didn't I realise how she's, like, the perfect girl for me, not some stuck up rich bitch that can't drink normal water?_ He shook his head, looking at Quinn, who was texting _again_, and hoped that the date would be over soon so he could drop her ass home and talk to Rachel. Or try. Or something.

* * *

Half an hour later it was finally over. Puck paid the bill, thinking that never again was he taking a woman out to dinner because it was _far_ too much hassle. He and Quinn walked out of the restaurant, pausing outside the door as he looked for Rachel. He found her and turned to Quinn to tell her they could go when she grabbed him, and pulled him in for a kiss. He hesitated briefly, but she was a good kisser, and he found his arms wrapping around her, one hand on her back, the other in her hair.

When they broke apart, he looked around and saw Jesse St. James' car pulling away down the street, and knew he'd been had. Sighing, he looked around for Rachel again, and saw her walking in the direction of her, head down, shoulders hunched, arms wrapped around her body. _Shit, now I've really blown it_, he thought angrily.

'How about we stop pretending now Quinn?' he said. 'I'll drop you home and you can tell everyone about how you went on this awful date with this awful guy and get back with Jesse next week, and I can go back to my life. Cause frankly, I don't like being used to make someone jealous.' Quinn arched an eyebrow at him.

'I suppose you're not as stupid as I thought.'

'I suppose I'm not. I also suppose you're not my type. Now get in the truck and I'll drive you home.'

Rubbing his mohawk anxiously, Puck wondered: _How the hell am I ever going to tell Rachel how I feel now?_


End file.
